Vacuum cleaner nozzle



y 3, 1967 J. p. ZA|DAN 3,320,629

VACUUM CLEANER NOZ Z1113 Filed March 23, 1965 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent C) 3,320,629 VACUUM CLEANER NOZZLE Joseph P. Zaidan, 1234 S. Broad St.,

Philadelphia, Pa. 19146 Filed Mar. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 442,071 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-400) This invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and more particularly to an attachment which may be readily secured to the suction hose of a conventional vacuum cleaner, such as a tank type vacuum cleaner or a bag and stick vacuum cleaner equipped with a suction hose. Alternately the attachment may be connected directly to a battery-powered hand-type suction device if desired.

It has been known generally in the prior art to equip a suction hose of a vacuum cleaner with a vacuum cleaner attachment having various configurations of brushes-and suction inlets. It has been found that one difiiculty common in such existing attachments is that an insufficient air velocity is created and maintained from a point adja' cent to a brush secured to the attachment to a point fat rearwardly of the air and dust inlet opening. Another common difficulty found in existing vacuum cleaner attachments is that the air and dust inlets are commonly not positioned in an appropriate location with respect to an agitating brush.

It is accordingly an object of the instant invention to overcome the above-mentioned difiiculties.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide an improved vacuum cleaner attachment which creates a high air velocity across an adjacent agitating brush.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide an improved vacuum cleaner attachment which maintains a high air velocity throughout a major portion of the length of the attachment.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner attachment having substantially identical suction inlets strategically positioned on opposite sides of an agitating brush.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide a vacuum cleanerattachment which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured, used for long periods of time without maintenance, and which is efficient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the. drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a vacuum cleaner having a suction hose onto which is secured a vacuum cleaner attachment according to the principles of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the vacuum cleaner attachment shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the vacuum cleaner attachment shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 and viewing in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view of the vacuum cleaner attachment shown in FIGURE 4 taken substantially along line 55 thereof and viewing in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view of the vacuum cleaner attachment shown in FIGURE 4 taken substantially along line 66 thereof and viewing in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like elements throughout the several views thereof, there is shown generally at 10 3,320,629 Patented May 23, 1967 ice a vacuum cleaner, which may be of the tank type or of the stick and bag variety, having a suction hose 12 con ventionally secured thereto. Attached to a collar 14 on the inlet end of hose 12 is a vacuum cleaner attachment shown generally at 16 in the process of cleaning a vertical surface such as a Wall 18.

Vacuum cleaner attachment 16 is made of any suitable material, such as a metal or a plastic, and comprises a rearward tubular outlet section 20 which is of a size to be conveniently received in collar 14 of suction hose 12. An intermediate section 22 connects tubular outlet 20 to an inlet section shown generally at 24 which is trapezoidal shaped in plan as shown in FIGURE 2. Inlet section 24 comprises a pair of outer walls 2-6 and 28 which converge forwardly from intermediate section 22 to a transverse plane through points 30, 32 rearwardly of an interiorally mounted brush support 37 which carries a brush 34. A pair of transverse plates 36, 38 converge at a more rapid rate from plane 30, 32 to a common plane intermediate and perpendicular to brush 34 thus providing a pair of air inlets 40, 42 which extend transversely on opposite sides of brush 34 and are of narrow width.

Positioned between walls 26, 28 is an air velocity control means shown generally at 44 comprising a pair of inner walls 46 and 48 which in the cross section diverge rearwardly as shown in FIGURE 4 and which are connected by a half cylinder 50. As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the lateral edges of inner wall 46 are turned upwardly to form side edges 52 which merge with outer wall 26 and plate 36 in order to form one vacuum air passage 54. In a like manner, the outer edges of inner Wall 48 are turned downwardly as at 56 to merge with outer wall 28 and plate 38 to form the second vacuum passage of a pair of substantially identical vacuum passages.

As indicated by comparison of FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, it will be seen that the cross-sectional area of vacuum passages 54, 58 will remain substantially constant throughout their length. This is made possible bythe converging-diverging relationships within the interior of inlet section 24 wherein the vertical height of each of the air passages increases rearwardly while the transverse width decreases rearwardly. As pointed out more fully hereinafter this relationship provides a substantially constant air velocity from a point rearwardly of brush 34 to intermediate section 22 which is a great distance from brush '34. Of course, the greater converging rate of plates 36, 38 creates a smaller cross-sectional passageway adjacent brush 34 thus creating an area of higher air velocity to induct dust into the attachment.

As shown in FIGURE 4 brush 34 has a metal retainer or back 35 around the end thereof which is of a configuration to be transversely slidable into and out of brush support 37 and retained therein against longitudinal movement. Thus, it is seen that a non-functional transverse slot 60 extends through the center of inlet section 24. the open ends 62, 64 of which may be closed in any suitable manner. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 6, the lateral edges of brush 34 do not extend completely to the edges of inlet section 24. By providing an air inlet about the opposite surfaces of brush 34 it will be seen that any dust stirred up thereby will be drawn into the interior of vacuum cleaner attachment 16 with the path of infiowing air being shown by the arrows in FIGURES 3 and 4.

As previously indicated, one important feature of the instant invention is the size relationship betwen the crosssectional areas of passageways 54, 58, the length of those passageways, the Width of brush 34, and the size and position of air inlets 40, 42. It has been found that a brush width of between two inches and four inches with equally sized upper and lower air passages between A;

3 inch and inch in height at the forward end thereof and of a length at least as great as the brush width with plates 36, 38 being between /2 inch and 1 /2 inch in length is a most advantageous form of construction.

In the use of the vacuum cleaner attachment according to the instant invention, vacuum cleaner attachment 16 is secured on the end of a suction hose 12 of a customary vacuum cleaner 10. The conventional motor of vacuum cleaner is turned on resulting in the flow of air through attachment 16 and suction hose 12. Attachment 16 is then placed adjacent the area 18 to be cleaned with brush 34 being rubbed lightly thereacross, resulting in the dislodgement and agitation of dust and the like. Although such dislodgement normally occurs forwardly of brush 34 as it is being moved across surface 18, there will be some agitation of material behind brush '34. Since air inlets 40 and 42 are positioned on both sides of brush 34, any dust or the like so dislodged will immediately be drawn into the interior of cleaner attachment 1 6. Since passageways 54 and 58 are of substantially constant cross-sectional area throughout their length the velocity of air entering inlets 40 and 42 will remain substantially the same until the velocity of air enters intermediate section 22. This results in the rapid and eflicient movement of the air-dust stream away from brush 34, providing efficient and economical use of the cleaner attachment. The length of passageways 54, 58 insures that the high velocity stream continues to a point far rearwardly of brush 34 thus precluding any dust from dropping out of the stream adjacent brush 34. The air-dust mixture so drawn into cleaner attachment 16 will travel through suction hose 12 and vacuum cleaner 10 in the customary manner.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved vacuum cleaner attachment, which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made within this inventive concept, and as many modification may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Avacuum cleaner attachment comprising a nozzle having an inlet section and an outlet section, means for attaching said outlet section to the suction hose of a vacuum cleaner, said inlet section comprising a pair of spaced apart inner walls, a pair of outer walls one on each side of the outer side of said pair of inner walls, and side walls connecting an inner wall with its adjacent outer Wall defining two spaced apart vacuum passages, said inner walls being so related to said outer walls as to define air passages of substantially uniform cross sectional area throughout their full extent, each passage having a suction opening at its end, an elongated brush support extending between said inner walls adjacent and between the suction openings, and an elongated brush carried by said brush support.

2. The structure of claim .1 wherein said brush support includes a transverse channel and said brush includes a back having a configuration to slide within said channel, the ends of said channel being open to permit transverse insertion and removal of said brush from either end of said brush support.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said inner and outer walls diverge in'plan away fromsaid outlet section and converge in cross section toward said inlet section and terminate in a common plane to provide said uniform cross sectional area.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said outer walls are provided with projecting flanges extending beyond the ends of said inner walls, andoverlying a portion of said brush.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said flanges converge inwardly toward said brush.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein the convergence of said flanges is at an angle more acute than the convergence of said outer walls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,039,383 9/1912 Goughn-our 15 -415 1,210,525 1/1917 0rr 15-415 1,325,297 12/1919 Kern 15 415x 1,606,633 11/1926 Higley 15398 2,002,637 5/1935 Leathers 15-39s ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A VACUUM CLEANER ATTACHMENT COMPRISING A NOZZLE HAVING AN INLET SECTION AND AN OUTLET SECTION, MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID OUTLET SECTION TO THE SUCTION HOSE OF A VACUUM CLEANER, SAID INLET SECTION COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED APART INNER WALLS, A PAIR OF OUTER WALLS ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID PAIR OF INNER WALLS, AND SIDE WALLS CONNECTING AN INNER WALL WITH ITS ADJACENT OUTER WALL DEFINING TWO SPACED APART VACUUM PASSAGES, SAID INNER WALLS BEING SO RELATED TO SAID OUTER WALLS AS TO DEFINE AIR PASSAGES OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CROSS SECTIONAL AREA THROUGHOUT THEIR FULL EXTENT, EACH PASSAGE HAVING A SUCTION OPENING AT ITS END, AN ELONGATED BRUSH SUPPORT EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID INNER WALLS ADJACENT AND BETWEEN THE SUCTION OPENINGS, AND AN ELONGATED BRUSH CARRIED BY SAID BRUSH SUPPORT. 